The design for the new library in Bernate Ticino stems from a desire to create an urban catalyst, a vibrant place where culture intertwines with the community’s daily life.
The architecture integrates into its context with a deliberate gesture: by leveraging the natural morphology of the land, the building is configured as a “podium” that establishes a privileged visual dialogue with the historic center. This positioning is not only functional but deeply symbolic, acting as a bridge that connects various parts of the town.
Through a careful analysis of flows, the integration with Via I Maggio ensures fluid and immediate accessibility, making the library a strategic and easily accessible node for every citizen, whether arriving on foot or by private vehicle.
Library in the Park
LOCATION Bernate Ticino, Italy
TYPE New Build
YEAR 2022
STATUS Competition
CLIENT Municipality of Bernate Ticino
The surrounding landscape is not merely a backdrop but an active extension of the library itself within Parco I Maggio. The arrangement of the external spaces follows a philosophy of preservation and enrichment: no existing trees were removed, while new medicinal herbs and flowering plants were added to mark the changing seasons and nourish the local ecosystem.
Paved pathways design a multi-sensory experience that alternates between areas for physical activity featuring a multipurpose court for basketball and yoga and play zones for children, alongside an urban plaza surrounded by continuous seating.
This “scent garden” culminates in the intimacy of the internal courtyard, a protected environment that guided the building’s floor plan and defines its quiet, reflective identity.
From a formal perspective, the building adopts pure volumes inspired by the archetype of truncated-pyramid hip roofs, a contemporary tribute to the traditional urban landscape of Bernate Ticino.
The choice of materials emphasizes both a solid and precious character: a tactile base of Petersen Kolumba face bricks supports an upper shell entirely clad in copper sheets. This combination of natural materials not only ensures durability and aesthetic charm but also aligns precisely with the vertical rhythms of the large windows and wooden elements.
Inside, zenithal light from large skylights carves out welcoming spaces, where the warmth of the wooden flooring and the brightness of the walls create a domestic and hospitable atmosphere, ideal for reading and gathering.
Commitment to sustainability is the technological heart of the structure, built entirely using a load-bearing system of CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) panels.
This dry construction technology, in addition to ensuring rapid construction times and reduced costs, represents an ethical choice aimed at drastically reducing CO2 emissions throughout the building’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
The use of FSC or PEFC certified timber testifies to a holistic approach prioritizing occupant well-being and respect for the planet. Upon entering the library, visitors are guided by a canopy supported by filtering brick walls, which anticipate the transparency and fluidity of the interior.
Here, wooden furnishings and pastel tones complete a vision of civil architecture that is not just a container for books, but a lasting and defining public asset.
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